Shepherds
Alex went to speak at a new church this morning; our oldest was sick and we decided it was best for all if Alex went alone to speak and share. Honestly, that was a gift to all of us. Sometimes, the schedule on Sundays at different churches gets rough for all of our kids.
We are staying in a wonderful barn apartment close to our home church and many friends. It feels homey and it is easier to pop in on friends and pass time together. So, I went to our home church this morning with 3 of our kids.
We took communion, which was very special to me. The worship was beautiful and I heard it all in English. The sermon could have been on any subject and I would have loved the teaching in English... It was an excellent sermon on the unlikely shepherds that were given the task to share the Good News. The sermon spoke to me on so many deep levels.
Shepherds... lowly, stinky, outcasts. The Good News - a King, the Savior, coming as a babe. God chose the lowly to proclaim His Son's birth. He could have chosen the beautiful, the polished, the brilliant, the religions leaders of the day... but He did not.
That speaks of HOPE.
In our mission to Honduras, we often feel like the least likely people to do this task. God could have sent the brilliant theologian, the perfect linguist or a more powerful, charismatic family. And yet He gave us our mission. And the beauty is that in our weaknesses, His power and strength are highlighted.
As I have written so many times in this spot, we have no special training, but we have a calling from the God of the universe to do this one thing. You have the same calling, just in a different locale.
We live out our calling with humility, knowing that His grace is sufficient for our weaknesses, His brilliance fills in the spaces where we grow dim, His strength is perfect when ours is entirely absent.
All of this encouraged me immensely this morn. Surrounded by our precious church family, I just wanted to raise my hands in the air and praise God for His goodness. It is such a beautiful thing to be loved by Christ's people and to walk together in honest, real relationships year after year.
It is a glorious matter that God chooses to use flawed folks. He continues to call His people to the very same job the shepherds were called to... sharing the Good News. Say yes to His glorious invitation...
We are staying in a wonderful barn apartment close to our home church and many friends. It feels homey and it is easier to pop in on friends and pass time together. So, I went to our home church this morning with 3 of our kids.
We took communion, which was very special to me. The worship was beautiful and I heard it all in English. The sermon could have been on any subject and I would have loved the teaching in English... It was an excellent sermon on the unlikely shepherds that were given the task to share the Good News. The sermon spoke to me on so many deep levels.
Shepherds... lowly, stinky, outcasts. The Good News - a King, the Savior, coming as a babe. God chose the lowly to proclaim His Son's birth. He could have chosen the beautiful, the polished, the brilliant, the religions leaders of the day... but He did not.
That speaks of HOPE.
In our mission to Honduras, we often feel like the least likely people to do this task. God could have sent the brilliant theologian, the perfect linguist or a more powerful, charismatic family. And yet He gave us our mission. And the beauty is that in our weaknesses, His power and strength are highlighted.
As I have written so many times in this spot, we have no special training, but we have a calling from the God of the universe to do this one thing. You have the same calling, just in a different locale.
We live out our calling with humility, knowing that His grace is sufficient for our weaknesses, His brilliance fills in the spaces where we grow dim, His strength is perfect when ours is entirely absent.
All of this encouraged me immensely this morn. Surrounded by our precious church family, I just wanted to raise my hands in the air and praise God for His goodness. It is such a beautiful thing to be loved by Christ's people and to walk together in honest, real relationships year after year.
It is a glorious matter that God chooses to use flawed folks. He continues to call His people to the very same job the shepherds were called to... sharing the Good News. Say yes to His glorious invitation...
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